This is a 14-day itinerary for an active trip around Lombok Island in Indonesia. For travellers who like to explore every corner of a new place. It’s filled with water activities, beaches, rainforest walks and waterfalls and includes hiking up the active Rinjani volcano, one of the highlights of Lombok.

Our Indonesian trip started in Bali. After the first night spent in Kuta, we realized that Bali is way too crowded and we were looking for a quiet paradise. So we bought a ticket and flew the same day to Lombok.

This itinerary is better suited for those arriving in Lombok by plane and leaving by boat to Bali. The reason is simple: every international visitor arrives in Bali first and then it’s cheaper and faster to go to Lombok by plane. The trip finishes close to the port from which boats to Bali leave every few hours. Even people arriving in Lombok by boat head straight to Kuta. You will see why when you get there.

Lombok is a relatively small island but with slow-moving traffic. With a 40 km/h average speed it takes quite some time to travel between areas. If you want to see the whole island, it is best to slowly move from one place to another.

We recommend at least 2 weeks for Lombok. If you only stay a week, go to Kuta and nearby beaches and then to central Lombok to see waterfalls but that is all.

Where to stay in Lombok? Read our detailed guide for best places to stay in Lombok.

Lombok itinerary for 2 weeks

Day 1: Kuta

After you arrive at the airport of Praya (Lombok), take a taxi south to Kuta where the most beautiful beaches are. Stroll the streets of beach town Kuta or dip in the ocean, the closest beaches are Kuta and Tanjung Ann.

For more ideas, read our travel guide to Kuta, Lombok

Day 2: Beach Hopping

Rent a scooter and explore the beaches around Kuta. It is very easy to ride a small scooter, main roads are well maintained, mostly paved and almost empty. Most beach access roads are dirt or gravel only with a few bumpy sections. You can visit 5 different beaches along the southwest coast.

We recommend Beach Mawun, Tampah Beach, Lancing Beach, Mawi Beach and Semeti Beach (skip Selong Belanak, it is the most crowded beach in Lombok). From Semeti Beach, it’s about 40 minutes drive bach to Kuta. In the evening enjoy a massage in one of the spas in Kuta.

You can read more in our post Best (and worst) beaches in Lombok.

Day 3: Tanjung Ann Beach and surfing/SUP

If you are a beginner surfer visit a surfing school one day in advance and book a surfing lesson. Gerupuk Beach is where most surf schools take beginners but there are too many irresponsible surfers and instructors. Rather go to Tanjung Ann Beach, you won’t regret it. If you’d like to go by yourself, rent a surfboard in Kuta, hop on the scooter and drive to Tanjung Ann.

Or rent a stand-up paddleboard right on the Tanjung Ann Beach, relax on the beach, walk to the viewpoint on the cliff and refresh with a coconut or a fresh fruit platter in the shade of many warungs (local eateries) on the beach.

We suggest that you either stay a return here for sunset. Just 2 minutes driving from Tanjung Ann you can enjoy the famous sunset spot Bukit Merese.

Read about our surfing experience as beginners and find out which surf spot is best for your level

Day 4: Trip to the Pink Beach

We recommend renting a scooter and setting off for island exploration. A trip to Pink Beach takes about 2 hours one way. The last 10 kilometres are on a destroyed farm road but on the plus side, you will meet countless friendly locals along the way, children wanting to high five with you and many monkeys in the forest.

At the end of your trip, you will be rewarded with a nice beach with a pink hue of the beach sand due to the colour of the corals.

If you prefer not to ride a scooter, you can book a boat tour in Kuta. For those not interested in Pink Beach you can visit a traditional Indonesian Sasak village just 10 km from Kuta.

Day 5: Getting to Senaru

Senaru village is a base for a Rinjani volcano trek. Even you don’t plan to go on a volcano; there are many waterfalls near Senaru which are worth visiting.

Many trekkers want to be on the top of Mt. Rinjani for sunrise which is common and understandable. We were quite stoked to see how beautiful a volcano in a crater can be. This is also a reason why we recommend climbing to the crater of Mount Rinjani.

You can arrange your transport from Kuta to the base camp for the trek on the north side of the island. It takes about 5 hours by car and many trekking companies arrange the transport for you. Tip: tell the driver to go through Monkey Forest.

You can either arrange the transport yourself and then find a trekking agency in Senaru or you can prearrange it in Kuta. No need to book the trek in advance, you will get a better price if you negotiate few days before.

When you arrive in Senaru, we definitely recommend visiting Sendang Gile and Tiu Kelep waterfalls. It is only about a 1,5-hour round trip (or you can visit them after the trek).

Days 6-8: Trekking Mount Rinjani volcano

The trek starts early in the morning and is usually 3-day/2-night with the summit of Mount Rinjani. Trekking companies offer several options depending on your fitness level.

Rinjani is an active volcano with an elevation of 3,726 meters. For us, it was one of the hardest treks we’ve ever done (mainly because we weren’t in great shape at that time).

You don’t have to have experience but you should have good stamina and strong legs. Once you reach the rim of the crater you can decide to continue to the summit or hike towards the lake. Read more about the trek in our review of trekking to Mount Rinjani.

We finished our trek quite late and couldn’t leave without seeing waterfalls. We stayed in the hotel Pondok Senaru with a morning view of the waterfall. Simply amazing.

Day 9: Sendang Gile & Tiu Kelep waterfalls, Gilis

In the morning you will probably wake up quite sore after 3 days of hiking. In case you didn’t see Sendang Gile and Tiu Kelep waterfalls before the trek, go for a walk and cool off under the waterfalls. The best time to visit is early in the morning when we visited there was almost nobody.

After you finish at the waterfall you can get a ride to Bangsal port. From there, buy a boat ticket to one of the Gili islands. This will be your well-deserved relaxing place after such a strenuous effort of hiking the volcano. Choose Gili Trawangan (Gili T) if you want to party, Gili Meno or Gili Air for quiet nights.

Day 10-11: Snorkelling/diving trip

Gili Islands are small islands with mostly western tourists. They are perfect for laying by the pool, on the beach, sunbathing or just chilling after the trek.

Ask at your accommodation and sign up for a snorkelling trip for the next day. It’s a group tour for a great value; they will take you to 5 snorkelling spots and you will most likely see turtles! The trip takes about 4 hours so you can arrange another program for the afternoon.

Divers can go for deep water dives. You can also find a few free-diving schools. In the evening you can try local food or choose from plenty of western restaurants.

Day 12: Sengiggi

Leave Gilis back to Bangsal port and from there get a taxi to Sengiggi (haggle hard for a good price). Sengiggi is the most visited place on Lombok. Compared to the rest of Lombok you can even find KFC here and major hotel chains. Because of that, we stayed in a quiet homestay between Sengiggi and Mataram.

In the afternoon go and explore the beach with black sand, watch a sunset while local fishermen are coming back from the day on the ocean, drink a coconut and enjoy the moment.

Day 13: Benang Stokel waterfall and Taman Narmada

Rent a scooter and head to Benang Stokel waterfall. The waterfall area consists of five different waterfalls and it’s about 2 hours driving from Sengiggi. Read more about what you can Benang Kelambu & Benang Stokel waterfalls.

On the way back you can stop at Taman Narmada waterpark. Get a taste of Lombok’s history, see the palace of former Lombok’s king and swim in an old swimming pool.

An alternative option to waterfalls is to spend the day exploring Mataram, museums or go on a snorkelling trip to Gili Gede. If you like local souvenirs, visit the Sasaku supermarket.

Day 14: Packing and leaving

You will be leaving Lombok so you might as well pack your bags and get ready. If you’re leaving by plane, it takes about 2 hours from Sengiggi. Bangsal port for boats leaving to Bali is about 45 minutes away from Sengiggi. Β We continued to Bali from which we flew to Malaysia.

From Bangsal port to Padang Bai in Bali it takes around 2 hours by fast boat and 3 hours to Kuta port.

We hope you enjoy your stay in Lombok to the fullest and leave with beautiful memories!

Guided tours in Lombok

If you have more time or would like to book some tours ahead of time, this is an extensive list of activities around Lombok Island, that covers it all – beaches, snorkelling, waterfalls, and culture.

 

*In the spirit of full disclosure: Some links in this post are affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through them, we receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. We appreciate your support!


Do you have any questions about Lombok? Feel free to leave us a comment below.


Spread the word! PIN this to your Pinterest board.

 

About Maya Steiningerova

Heyo, I’m Maya! An adventure athlete currently living near the Canadian Rockies with my partner in crime Michal. I love running in the mountains, jumping in the ice cold lakes, mountain biking and trying not so common activities, such as mountaineering. By showing that an ordinary person can live an extraordinary life, my hope is to inspire you to live an adventurous life and provide you with tips and tools for your own adventure.

Verified by MonsterInsights